Train-pipe coupler



April '19, 19.27.' R. T'LOWE TRAIN PIP? GUPLER" FiLedfMair '23. 1925 www.

armmb' IIIA,

SHUI/Mq Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED stares ATENT OFFICE.

YRICHARD 'I'. LOWE, OF CEDAR BLUFF, VIRGINIA., `.ASSIGrNOEt 0F ONE-HALF' TO BALLARD I. IAYNE, 0F CEDAR BLUFF, VIRGINIA.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLER.

Application inea May 23, 1925. serial 120,352,520.

My invention relates to automatic train-- pipe couplers. A great obstacle to the practical success of an automatic train-pipe coupler is the non-maintenance of a tight jointat the coupling under the severe operative conditions to which the coupler is subjected, and one of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction which will assure the necessary tightness of the joint t0 prevent the escape of air or other fluid transmitted through the train-pipes. Other objects of my invention will be understood from the description hereinafter given, and the advantages of my invention will be'understood by those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in whatever is described by or included within the terms or scope of the appended claims.

I illustrate and shall describe my invention with especial reference to the automatic coupling of the air-brake pipes, but unless it isv excluded by the terms of meaningy of my claims, I include aswithin the scope of my invention couplings for pipes carrying other iuids.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the coiipling units; j e

fig. 2 is a top plan view showing two of the units coupled together; A

Fig, 3 is a transverse section on the line j 3 3 "of Fg. 2.

Describing in detail what is shown in the drawings, it will be seen that my train-pipe coupling is of the duplicate or interlocking type, that is to say, the construction of each unit at eac-h end of the car is the same and each comprising a longitudinally extending member, that is suspended beneath the carcoupler, and each member comprising a fiatL `sided headportion, 10, and a shank or tail portion, 11, which at its rear lend extends through a hole in a plate or bracket, 12, boltedto the .underside of the shank of the car-coupler, and between such bracket, 12, and the head, there is a coil spring, 13, on the tail which acts expansively to press the head forward, the tail sliding through the hole in the bracket, 12, and the forward movement of the member being limited rby a shoulder, which may be a nut, 14, secured to the tail in the rear of the bracket, 12, and which engaging the rear side of the bracket, 12, stops the forward movement of the member under the forward pressure of the spring.

The head, 10, at its forward end is bifurcated |and formed into upper and lower forwardly and upwardly diverging projections, 15, and on the inner side of thek head at the rear is a forwardly projecting finger, 16, that is pointed or tapering and spaced away from the side of the head, so that it will enter between the projections, 15, of the matching or mating head when the two come together and closely embrace the sides of the head in rear of the projections, 15, so that when the two'heads come together, they are interlocked against sidewise and vertical movement. The pointed or tapering form ofthe projections, 16, of course, s to facilitate their engagement, even though at the time the heads come together theyy are not in alignment, with the part to be engaged.

Upon the outer side of the head a block, 17, is pivoted on a vertical pivot between ears, 18, projecting from the top and bottom of the block, 17, the block extending forward from such ears. The block, 17, has substantially at midlength a horizontal opening or hole in which is mounted the pipe-coupling, 19, such coupling including a 'head which projects fronrthe block into a hole, 20, in the head, 10, so that its outer face may be brought into contact with the face of the matching coupling, by the inward movement of the blocks,17, when the two heads are coupled together as hereinafter described. The coupling, 19, has a pivotal rconnection with the block, 17, to allow for adjustment ofthe face of one coupling to the other taking into account the fact that the block, 17, which carries each, is mountedfor pivoting or swinging move ment. The pivotal connection consists of round pins, 21, projecting labove and below the coupling and each of which is engaged by a bearing-cap, 22, secured by bolts in a recess in the inner face of the block, 17 to enable the easy assemblage and separation of the parts when necessary. The coupling has a rearwardly extending pipe section, 23,

to the end ol" which is secured the end oil? the piece ot hose, 2l, which as usual entends :from the train-pipe, :25, lom'ard nl? the angle-Coeli, 52d The handle or lever ol the angle-Coeli is connected by an arm, il?, bolted to the head, l0, to partalie olf the length tudinal movement thereoli, so that pon the rearward movement ol the lngxad, lll, in a eoupling operation, the anglecoel; will he opened, and upon a lioruard movement when uneoupling done, Ythe angle-Coeli will be closed. The connection between the arm`v Il, and the amgglewoel; handle is a `rieldable one consisting oil' two eoil springs, Ztl, on the opposite sides ol the anglewoelc to allow greater nuuement ot the herd than is neressaryv to move the angle-enel; between ned and closed positions.

1 the coupling heads come together and interloel, as l have described, l press together with great lierre the couplings, le, by subjection; the blocks, li", to poirerlul pressure bjfa lever device, that includes l'or nach blocl; a lever, 30, that swings horimentally upon a pivot, lll, mounted between lugs, 52, that projeet horizontally outward lrom the head, lll, at the top and bottom thereol, and which at its inner end presses agaii v the side ot the bloelr, and at its outer end has pivoted to it a longitudinally entending rod, 33, that passes through a ,guide hole in the bracket, 12. Upon the rod, 323, is an mipansive coil spring, 3l, which at one end bears againstthe forward side ot the bracket, l2, and at its other end engages a shoulder, 35, on the rod. ln the rear o the bracket, lf3, the rod has a collar, which is preferably a nut, 3G. During' the operation oli' coupling; tiro heads, l0, the springs are compressed allowing,T the rods to move through them, and carry,7 the nuts, 3G, thereon, rearward trom the bracket, l2, and thus swinging the lever, 30, in each case against its block, 17, and erowding the gasket :li-aces ol' the two couplings into air-tight Contact, and holding them there. Llnd so long; as the car-couplers eouple the two ears together, that tight joint is nmintziined. l.llhen the careouplers are i'ineoupled, and the ears separate, the trainpipe coupler heads, lll, are not pulled apart until alter the bracket, l2, moving,v rearward engages the nuts, Btl, and the rods, 33, are moved rearward, and the levers, 30, are moved anniY 'from the colliding; carrying blorlrs, li'. 'lhe latter are now free to swing away 'lroni one another, to remove the gasllets :lrom Contact so that when the heads, lll, then slide pastone another, no friction will fall on such `gaskets. r.lhe blocks, 17, are thus swung; outward by goil springs, 37, for the respectire heads, l0, lilach spring, El?, is mounted upon a pin, B8, attached to the block, 17, and has sul'lieient length to pass through a horizontal hole, 39, therein. and to enter an aligning hole, Ll-O, in the opposite head, lll, when the bloelr moved into jointl'orniinlg' position by the action o'li its lever.

the eiigragement ot the tail, lll., with the braehet, l?, aupports the coupling; member at the rear end, and lurlher lorueird it is sup ported trom the ear-coupler by a coil spring, ell, attached at .its end under the ear-coupler, and at its lower end engaging an eye, l2, that lorms the head ol the pivot- :lor the swinging block, '11T f1 relerablj,T the proj eetion, lll, on each head has such length that when the heads are in intel-lochinn' positiiin the :[nojeotion, 16, will extend in rear of the lront end olf the bleek, lli", and to enable the lever, 50, to be passed by suoli projection, it is bi'lureated at its bloei engaging end.

'lhe gra, e s held in place in the coupling,` by a removable cap, i3d, which has a hexagonal or La iygonal head, and the hole in the head, lo, in which the couplingl is placed has a torrespomlingglyr shaped eontour to hold anni cap :trom turning'.

lt will, oil course, be understood that I do not eonline myself to any partieular dimensions or proportions ot parts, nor to details olf construllion as there may be departures in these respects without departing trom the scope oit my elaims or some ol them.

llllhat l claim is:

Il. il trailrpipe eoupler comprising eooperatingj; heads each consisting of a member extendingv longitudinally ol" the car, a pipecoupling ilor each head, a couming-carrying block niovably mounted on the head and being substantially parallel with said member, a lever to act upon the block to press the pipe-couplings together, and means to rock said lever in opposite directions automatically.

il. A train-pipe coupler con'iprising eooper ting; heads eaoh consisting; of a member entendan longitudinally ol" the car, a pipe* couplinglor each head, a ccalming-carrying# block mol'ahly mounted on the head and being` substantially parallel with said member, a lerer to aet upon the bleek to press the pi pe-eouplings together, means to rook said lover in opposite directions automatically, romjnising a lmigitudinall",r extending rod eonnected with the lever, a part moving with the car, a sprint;l exerting pressure on said rod and bearin on said part, and a shoulder on the rod on the opposite side ol said part adapted to be engaged thereby.

il. il train-pipe coupler (annprisine' a head,

a coupling` nio'vable back and 'lorth ih a hole in said head, a block piroted to said. head and to `which said coupling is pivoted, and an autfmlatirally roelled lov ,f acting' on said bloeit.

.l. fr traiirpipe coupler comprisingf two similar longitudinally extending' couplingL carrying heads each consisting of a member extending longitudinally of the ear, each having at its 'forward end upper and lower projections extending n straight lines drectly forward, and each having on its side a single projection adapted to enter between the projections at the end of the other head, ineens to press the couplings together coniside the. same, and automatic means to move 10 said blocks towards each other.

In testimony Wliereof hereunto affix my signature.

RICHARD T. LOWE. 

